Fredrik Raddum (b. 1973) studied at The National Academy of Fine Art Oslo from 1997-2001. The Norwegian artist works with sculpture, installation, photo and performance and has exhibited at broadly since 1999.
Raddum's work is best described as tongue-in-cheek, humorous, and thought provoking. His works often feature animals, people, and elements culled from the Norwegian countryside and popular culture. Crafted from shiny, smooth materials, the works can at first glance appear like Pop art phantasms, but closer inspection reveals the motifs’ embedded seriousness with a sharp, socially indignant and satirical bite. Fredrik Raddum's use of materials and formal language is entirely unique: With his seemingly innocuous works he addresses existentialist and political themes with a vibrant sense of humour and a keen eye for the absurd.
Raddum popularizes serious themes and embodies them in tragicomic animal and human figures that adapt a cartoon-like expression. Clichés and icons are twisted into new settings and drop subtle hints encouraging one to think beyond the initial encounter.
Fredrik Raddum is represented at Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, and ARoS, Aarhus.
